BBC Pushes Digital With Biggest Ever Marketing Campaign
The BBC has launched its biggest on-screen marketing campaign to date as part of its ongoing attempt to convince terrestrial viewers to make the switch to digital television before the proposed 2010 deadline.
The latest cross-platform campaign follows on from the success of the autumn push, which prompted more than 2.5 million people to contact the BBC for more information on its digital terrestrial service, Freeview.
The initiative sees the return of the BBC digital monkeys, this time voiced by James Nesbitt and Faye Ripley. The characters are seen extolling the benefits of digital television as the face-off creative of previous BBC campaigns reveals former royal correspondent Jennie Bond and Changing Rooms host Laurence Llewellyn Bowen.
The latest figures show that Freeview saw uptake increase by more than 40% in the three months to December in a development that helped to push digital television penetration to over half of all UK households (see Freeview Surge Helps Digital Reach Half Of UK Homes).
The BBC claims the digital market has grown by 32% since the launch of its marketing push in October 2002, with millions more viewers now able to receive its channels on cable satellite and digital terrestrial.
Ilse Howling, head of BBC digital marketing and communications, said: “It’s been a fantastic year for digital growth and we are delighted that the BBC’s digital campaigns have played a big part in propelling digital take-up to over half of UK homes. This means that more and more people have access to the BBC’s full portfolio of award winning channels.”
She added: “This new campaign is fresh and clear and will really push forward the digital message to those people still restricted to just the analogue channels.”
The latest figures from the BBC also reveals an increase in uptake of the BBC digital channels. BBC Three has seen its share of viewing rise by 27% since February last year and BBC Four enjoyed an increase of 69% over the same period, thanks largely to the success of The Alan Clark Diaries.
The CBBC Channel commands an average share of 3.8% and CBeebies remains the market leading children’s channel with its share of viewing holding steady at 7.3% during March 2004. BBC News 24 and BBC Parliament are also performing strongly.
The BBC’s ongoing advertising campaign has done much to boost the uptake of digital television over the last year. However, a new report from Ofcom shows that just 78% of British households are likely to have adopted digital television in time for the proposed 2010 deadline for the switch-off of the analogue signal (see Government Set To Miss Deadline For Digital Switch).
BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk
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